Method of constructing and maintaining crude oil conductors



March 14, 1933. T. DE LA MARE 1,990,978

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING AND MAINTAINING CRUDE OIL CONDUCTORS Original Filed Feb. 2, 1927 lNVEN TOR 7905. .0514 M942;

AITIORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1933 I UNITED ,STATES THOMAS DE A MARE, or sALT LAKE CITY, UTAI-I METHOD or coNsTIwoTINe AND MAINTAINING CRUDE OIL GONDUCTORS I Substitute for application Serial No. 165,449, filed February z, 1927. This application filedf May 29, 1930.

Serial No. 457,079,

This invention relates to an improved method of constructing crude Oll conductors,

and its principal objects are to provide conductors which shall:

First. Resist corrosion from the inside, and

decay and corrosion from the outside;

Second. Have comparatively long life;

* Third. Be especially adapted for use in the crude oil industry;

Fourth. Be expeditiously manufactured in place; I

Fifth. Be economical.

In accomplishing these objects, I have evolved a method of constructing a composite pipe consisting of a wood center or lining surrounded by a. jacket or shell made of concrete, in which the lining is specially treated. For the hollow center, ordinary steel-banded wood stave pipe may be used, and the concrete jacket is preferably built around this-pipe in the field. I I

' Before jacketing, the wood pipe is treated in the following manner. After sealing substantially water-tight, both ends of a certain length, say one mile, of pipe when placed in position, I fill the pipe with preferably a saturated solution of common salt, (NaCl and water). The filled pipe is then preferably subjected to a considerable pressure, say about 100 lbs. per sq. inch, though any pressure above atmospheric pressure would give better results in use than if treated with the same solution at only atmospheric pressure.

The proper pressure acts to thoroughly iml pregnate the wood with the salt solution and also reveals any leakage which may exist. Small leaks are usually closed by the swellingof the wooden staves,and should there be any larger leaks, these may be plugged by driving in wooden wedges or by other means. After the wood is thoroughly soaked, and all leaks have been stopped,the concrete jacket particles in the wood lining. I

crete jacket.

length, and any additional quantity of brine necessary to fill the second length of pipe, be supplied thereto.

with concrete, and the process repeated for the third length, and so on.

Impregnating the wood lining with a salt After subjecting this length to the usual pressure, it also is jacketed solution not only swells the wood until it is water tight in the beginning, but keeps it so due to the hygroscopic properties of the salt particles ensconced in the cellular structure of the wood, WlllClT are always 1n readlnes's to draw on the moisture-content of the crude oil to keep the impregnation of the wood at substantially the maximum degree.

The present method has been devised with the particular advantage in view of keeping the salt solution saturated wood lining tight I by causing to flow throughit, crude oil hav-.

ing a salt solution content, by means of which the salt content of the wood lining is kept 3 up to maximum. This dependsupon a certain policing action. exercised by the salt particlesin the crude oil to hold back the salt The concrete jacket is applied while the salt solution is still contained within the wood lining, or very soon after, to insure before the concrete jacket was applied, the

subsequent swelling and expansion of the lining due to its absorption of the salt solution from the crude oil, wouldcrack the con- The pressure to which the salt solution is subjected, causes its thorough penetration into and around the fibers of the wood thereby intensifying the preservative action of the salt and also intensifying its action to keep and a continuation of, one filed by me February 2,1927, Serial No. 165,449.

The features of this invention for which the protection of Letters-Patentis desired,

in elevation;

are collectively grouped in the claims concluding this specification.

In the drawing, which is somewhat diagrammatic,

Fig. 1 represents lengths of the wood pipe, parts broken away, after having been put in place ready for j pressure treatment with brine;

Fig. 2, the same, with forms ready for placing concrete; 4 1 r Fig. 3, a cross section taken through the pipe showiiin' Fig. '1, enlarged;

7 Fig. 4, a cross section. taken throughthe pipe shown in Fig. 2, enlarged, showing various form details located in the background,

Fig. 5, a cross section taken through the completed pipe; V j

i Fig. 6, a minor detail; and

Fig. 7, a fragmentary axial section showing a detail, drawn to the same scale used in Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to the drawing, 20 indicates suitable lengths of wood stavepipe, 25 indicates the usual spirally wound steel bands, the staves having been assembled and handed in the usual manner At thetwo ends ofv the said length are placed removable clamping bands preferably made of steel and consisting of the two sections 26 held together by bolts 27. After the staves are cinched together by the bands, wooden plugs 28 may be driven into the ends of the pipe, so as to make a watertight seal. In these plugs may be inserted the nipples 29, which together with the union 80 and the valve 31, provide means for transferring the brine from one length of pipe to the other.

These connections may be removed, and others (not shown) inserted in any well known manner, for filling the lengths with brine from other sources. WVhen the wood pipe has been thoroughly tested and all leaks stopped as previously mentioned herein, concrete is placed in the trench 32 under the pipe. After this has been done, the forms consisting'of planks 34-, are'put into position and held by means of stakes 35' on the outside thereof, while adjustable collars 36, 'made upof links 361 and 36-2, hold the planks apart from each other. .The collars are placed at such distances apart as may be desired, say ten feet, to form shrinkable sections. Between the sections .arerspaces 37 which may be only a few inchesin length, and which, after the shrinkage sections are thoroughly cured, may be concreted over to form couphng bands between the section, as indicated at 38.

As a pipe may be considered a container, itwill be obvious that this method of construction can be applied to a container of any type, such as a tank. Again, a tank maybe .considered nothing more than a section of pipe set on end,such section being provided liquid without salt content to-be passed through the pipe. The salt content may be a natural constituent of the liquid or the liquid may be artificially charged with the salt content.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is: y 1 i 1. The method of constructing a pipe line of composite material, said pipe line including successive lengths of Wood pipe as acore, consisting in plugging the ends Of said lengths, substantially filling each length with brine under a predetermined pressure, ap plying a jacket of concrete to each length while under said pressure, and coupling all said lengths together after said concrete is applied. j

' 2. The method of constructing composite pipe having a wood lining and a concrete jacket surrounding said lining, consisting in closing the ends of said wood lining, substantially filling the space inside the lining with brine, subjecting said brine to a predetermined pressure before concrete is applied, allowing said lining to remain under said pressure until all-parts thereof have swelled to the desired degree, and applying said concrete jacket while the said'lining is under internal pressure.

3. The method of constructing a container for crude oil having NaCl in solution associated therewith, consisting in subjecting a pipe porous material to contact with a water solution of NaCl under pressure, and enclosing said pipe in plastic material while under said pressure.

4. The method of constructing, and maintaining tightness in, a salt impregnated wood pipe, consisting in subjecting said wood pipe to contact with a water solution of NaCl under pressure, enclosing said wood pipe in 'plasticmaterial while under pressure, and conducting crude oil having a considerable salt content through said wood pipe, said crude oil with its salt content being in contact with the inner surface of said wood pipe.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name hereto.

' THOMAS'DE LA MARE. 

